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230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

Here's one for you experts out there. I recently overhauled my 88 740 after severe overheat. New pistons/rings, bearings, seals, valve job, head resurfaced, oil pump, etc. Was very careful to make sure all timing marks lined up and installed distributor with rotor pointed at #1 with timing marks lined up and #1 at TDC.

Problem is I can't get the engine to start. I checked all possibilities I could see on FAQ, fuel pump, FPR, injectors, ignition. Plenty of fuel in tank, fuel at rail. There is spark at the plugs, plugs are wet when pulled. I managed to get the engine running a couple of times by turning distributor while cranking (had to go way advanced, continue to motor starter while it limped to start, then retard timing fully to the stop to keep it running). Once started, I checked timing with a light. Timing at 750 rpm was around 10 degress AFTER TDC...the distributor was completely to the stop and could not be turned further to bring the mark back to the proper timing. A slight throttle increase to about 900 brought the timing back to nearly 12 BTDC where it should be.

Now the thing won't start no matter how much I monkey with the distributor. Once in a while one cylinder would catch, but that's about it. I laid the #1 plug on the valve cover and cranked the motor. The plug seemed to fire about three or four times per cam shaft rotation. The whole thing just seems to strange to me so I'm turning the the board for help.








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    230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

    Make sure you don't have the wiring connectors for the Coolant Temperature Sensor and the Knock Sensor connected improperly. The wiring connectors are the same, and the car will probably not start if the connectors are plugged in in wrong. Knock Sensor wires are green, and Coolant Temperature Sensors are gray and black.

    Don't ask how I discovered this.
    --
    john








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      230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

      Assuming the connections are correct on the coolant temp and knock sensor, does the number of sparks on the #1 plug seem strange to you? I had the timing cover off to double check my marks, I pulled the #1 plug and laid it on the valve cover and had someone crank the engine. I noticed that for each revolution of the cam pulley, the #1 plug sparked three or four times.








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        230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

        If the distributor rotor is not present, the spark can jump to all four terminals inside the distributor ca, instead of jumping to the terminal the missing rotor is supposed to pointed at.
        --
        john








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          230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

          Thanks for all the suggestions. However, the rotor was in place yet the #1 plug sparked several times per cam rotation. I didn't pull all the plugs to see what they were doing, but I know they were all getting an impulse as I checked each with my timing light. I'm totally befuddled by this strange spark behavior.

          Also I checked the wiring as you suggested to the coolant temp sensor and knock sensor. They were wired correctly.

          I welcome any and all comments and suggestions...I am at a dead end. Thanks,

          Steve








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      230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

      I'll take a look after work this afternoon. I know which is the coolant temp sensor but not sure about the knock sensor. Is it the one down on the block below the intake manifold? Seems that one had a similar connector to the coolant temp.








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    230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

    Is the cam 180 degrees off?








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      230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

      I don't think so. The cam pulley timing mark was spot on and I checked the rotor position which pointing to #1 terminal. The #1 piston was at TDC and the crank timing mark was on 0. The cam has a pin for the pulley so that the pulley can only go on one way. I can't think of anyway the timing would be drastically off (mechanically anyway). The only timing mark I didn't pay attention to was on the aux shaft pulley since I have a cam driven distributor.

      I've rebuilt many engines but only the old points/condensor ignitions so I'm quite a novice with all these Volvo electronics. I hope I didn't bite off more than I can chew.

      Steve








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    230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

    If it was me, the plug wires or rotor position (locating #1 electrode) would be off.

    I'm including a pic from the gallery, which my notes say is incorrect for some reason -- but I can't see it till this is posted. So here goes...

    OK, now that I see it, I believe it should be 2-1-3-4 (not 1-2-3-4). The routing of rotor electrode to wire tower is is a bit funky. The #1 electrode is lower/left inside the cap as shown.
    --
    Bruce Young
    '93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.









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      230FT rebuild/no start 700 1988

      Yes, I checked and double checked the connection of the plugs and it is connected as you stated, going from the engine's left 2,1,3,4. With the timing marks lined up the rotor points to the lower left.

      Steve







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